This invention relates to support means. In particular, a preferred form of the invention relates to support means for a hand rail.
In the building industry it is well known to fasten hand rails to a building construction to provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing finish to the construction. Such hand rails may incorporate a series of brackets which are fixed to wooden framing or the like by way of screws or some other suitable fixing means. A problem faced in the use of hand rails is that the points where they are fixed to the wooden framing may become positions of ingress to moisture. Such ingress of moisture very often causes the timber framing to rot, and thus to weaken. Wooden framing which has been left to rot for some time can present a significant hazard, and can require substantial expense to rectify. Moreover, it is often not possible to detect the rotting framing as there are no visible signs of this on the exterior of the construction. It is accordingly an object of at least one aspect of the present invention to go at least some way towards addressing the above problem.
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According to one aspect of the invention there is provided, in combination, a building construction, a hand rail support secured to the building construction, and a hand rail, the hand rail having at least one baluster and a balustrade, the hand rail support having a containment portion, the containment portion having an opening through which at least part of the baluster passes such that at least a portion of the baluster is secured within the containment portion by a set settable substance, the set settable substance being arranged within the containment portion substantially around at least part of the baluster, the hand rail support being arranged such that water is unable to pass immediately around the hand rail support to an area within the building construction to cause damage to the building construction.
Preferably the containment portion is substantially cylindrical in shape, and may be substantially square, substantially rectangular, or substantially circular, in transverse cross section.
Preferably there is a layer of water impervious material extending from the building construction to the hand rail support, the water impervious material serving to prevent water from passing around the hand rail support to an area within the building construction. The water impervious material may be in the form of a sheet.
Preferably the setable substance is a suitable grout.
Preferably the hand rail support has a face plate which lays against the building construction.
Optionally the opening is substantially flush with an exterior facing surface of the building construction. In this arrangement the containment portion may be substantially within a cavity forming part of the building construction.
Optionally the containment portion extends outwards from adjacent the building construction such that the opening is spaced from the building construction.
Preferably the containment portion is substantially square, substantially rectangular, or substantially circular, in transverse cross section.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a hand rail support, having a substantially cylindrical containment portion, an opening in the containment portion for receiving a hand rail baluster, a face plate extending substantially around the opening, and a flange extending from the containment portion, the flange being substantially perpendicular with respect to the face plate. Preferably the face plate and the flange each have an aperture or apertures for receiving fixing members. Preferably the face plate extends substantially around and is substantially flush with the opening.
According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a hand rail support, having a pillar, a face plate attached to the pillar, and a flange extending from the face plate, the flange being substantially perpendicular with respect to the pillar. The pillar may be substantially solid, or alternatively may be substantially hollow with an opening leading into the pillar. Preferably the face plate and the flange each have an aperture or apertures for receiving fixing members. Preferably the face plate is adjacent an end of the pillar which is remote from the opening.